Sine Qua Non Distenta I Syrah Santa Barbara County 2019

Manfred and Elaine Krankl have again captured opulence and excellence in a bottle - these wines are positively stunning! I might also add that while they drink beautifully now, some age can calm the behemoth qualities, if desired. Manfred comments: “The wines have a lot of structure and presence”, and critics, who annually seem to find the wines to be their Rhone varietal darlings, commonly score each vintage extremely high. I do agree with the 100-point critique and believe you will, as well. 

We are allocated very little every year and will happily pass along what does not interest you to someone on our waiting list to receive if luck in on their side. 

The 2019 Syrah Disenta I is composed of 83.6% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre, 5.2% Petite Sirah, 6.2% Grenache, 1.4% Muscat and 0.6% Petit Manseng. “I think Muscat is the number-one white grape for me to blend with reds,” Manfred told me last year. “It kinda triples the effect of the wine.” The red winemaking included 33% whole cluster. The vineyard sources for this wine are 35% The Third Twin, 33% Eleven Confessions, 31% Cumulus and 1% Molly Aida—all estate-owned vineyards. This wine was bottled at the end of July 2021, after 23 months in French oak, 43% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it erupts from the glass with a powerfully fragrant nose of red roses, Morello cherries, boysenberries and juicy blueberries, followed by hints of mocha, star anise, cardamom and cassia. The concentrated, full-bodied palate is jam-packed with bright, crunchy black, blue and red fruits. It has a rock-solid structure of firm, finely-grained tannins and seamless freshness lifting the shimmering layers to a long, energetic finish. The complexity and vivacity of this Syrah are simply jaw-dropping! This wine is due to be released in spring 2022. 100 WA